


Like Vines

by carolion



Category: American Idol RPF
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-23
Updated: 2011-08-23
Packaged: 2017-10-22 23:42:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/243877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolion/pseuds/carolion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cook gives Archie a gift.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like Vines

David isn't really sure how to react. For the moment he alternates between staring at Cook's outstretched hand, and staring at Cook's expectant face.

"Oh, um," he says, "for me?" because he's never really gotten _jewelry_ as a gift before, not from a girl, and especially not from a guy. But it's right there on Cook's hand, a plain band of silver, not even in a box, just cradled in Cook's palm. It looks heavy.

It's a nice gesture though, and David feels a bloom of warmth in his chest, affectionate and tight and wow, a little overwhelming. His eyes drift to Cook's neck, where he can see at least one silver chain peeking from underneath his shirt collar - so yeah, this is totally something Cook _would_ give him. But still. It's a ring. David can't remember the last time he wore a ring.

(He does, actually. When he turned eight and was baptized, a bunch of the older members gave him gifts to celebrate. It was really cool at the time, finally be considered responsible enough to make his own choices, and he remembers feeling very important at the time. One of the gifts had been one of those cheap, quasi-plastic metal rings that bent to the size of your finger, and though it had started out silver, David remembers how it turned green over time. It had been emblazoned with the initials 'CTR' - Choose The Right. David doesn't remember when he stopped wearing it, or whether it was thrown away or stuffed into one of his drawers at home. But he can't remember wearing a ring since then.)

Cautiously, David picks up the ring. It _is_ heavy, and warm, as if Cook had been clutching it in his hand for a while now before presenting it. Without thinking, David slips it onto the middle finger of his left hand, a little surprised when it fits.

"Who told you," he starts, but Cook lifts his eyebrow in that funny way he has, and David feels a little off-balance and has to start again. "How did you know my ring size?"

"Magical David Cook mercenary skills," Cook teases with a twinkle in his eye, and David is about to interrupt and point out that _ring sizing_ is hardly a skill a mercenary would need to know, but he's distracted by Cook suddenly grabbing his hand and inspecting it.

"It looks good," Cook declares, smiling a little crookedly up at David and, gosh, did it suddenly get warm? His face feels hot and he knows his hands are sweating a little. (Because of the ring, he thinks to himself, even though that makes no sense whatsoever.)

"Um, so," and it's possible he's blushing, because Cook is still like, really close, and it's not uncomfortable, really, just maybe a little, uh, close? "Why a ring?"

Cook looks weird for a minute, and he's still holding David's hand and okay, _wow_ , his palms are really sweating now. He wishes Cook would let go so he can wipe his hands on his pants, this is so embarrassing. But Cook doesn't let go, just brushes his finger over the new ring on David's finger, his face thoughtful and far-off for a moment more. He pulls back a little, but taps on David's finger.

"Just something to think about," Cook says airily, letting go of David's hand and smiling a little strangely. He turns and leaves and David is left standing there, realizing he never even thanked him for the gift.

He doesn't take the ring off though, not until years later when Cook takes it off of David himself, and puts it on the finger just to the left as they vow to have and hold for all of eternity.


End file.
